The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →To find out who is on the other end of your newsletter, ask what readers came for, what they need, and how they use what you send. Then compare their answers with engagement data. A useful reader persona is a concise, revisable summary of that evidence—not a fictional subscriber or a demographic stereotype.
Start with the decision, not the questionnaire
Before writing questions, name the editorial or delivery decision the answers should inform. You might be deciding what to cover next month, whether readers want a quick briefing or a deeper feature, or whether one edition can serve everyone. The Institute for Nonprofit News recommends tying survey questions to decisions an organization can act on and removing questions that do not serve a purpose.
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Separate what your first-party analytics already show from what you still need to ask. Opens and clicks can indicate actions; they do not reliably explain why a reader acted. Ask only for information that could change a decision and that someone on the team will review.
- Decision: What choice about the newsletter are we trying to make?
- Known evidence: What can existing analytics or subscriber records already tell us?
- Unknown evidence: What motivation, need, or preference do we still need readers to explain?
- Action: How would different answers change the content, format, or delivery?
This approach follows the Institute for Nonprofit News Audience Survey Guide, which is written for nonprofit news organizations; its recommendations are useful examples, not universal rules for every newsletter.
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Ask questions that reveal why readers subscribe
Begin with the reader’s own reason for being there. Ask what prompted the subscription, what they expect from the newsletter, and what goals or problems it helps them address. A reader may value practical guidance, a concise summary, expert analysis, or help keeping up with a subject. Let responses establish those reasons rather than assigning motives yourself.
The Google News Initiative’s survey guidance recommends asking what audiences value and considering their needs or “jobs to be done.” Useful prompts include:
- What made you subscribe to this newsletter?
- What do you hope to get from it?
- What task, goal, or problem does it help you with?
- What do you value most about it?
Keep open-ended questions focused on one subject. Google News Initiative puts it plainly: “Avoid asking more than one question at a time in open-ended questions.”
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Find the topics and problems readers care about
Ask what readers want to learn, which subjects they find useful, what questions remain unanswered, and what might make them stop reading. A short list of selectable topics can help identify patterns across responses; a few focused open-ended questions can reveal needs you did not anticipate.
- Which topics in the newsletter are most useful to you?
- What would you like to learn more about?
- What question about this subject does the newsletter not yet answer?
- What, if anything, would make you stop reading?
Do not treat one vivid comment as a shared audience need. Group responses into recurring themes, preserve the distinction between common patterns and one-off remarks, and keep examples or summaries that show why you identified each theme.
Ask how, when, and where readers use the email
Readers’ delivery preferences can shape the newsletter just as much as their topic interests. Ask whether they prefer a brief digest or a more detailed feature, what device or reading context they usually use, and how often they want to hear from you. Compare stated preferences with available engagement evidence rather than assuming that a preferred format or send schedule works equally well for everyone.
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- Format: Do readers want a short scan, a deeper article, or another format relevant to your newsletter?
- Context and device: Do they read during a break, at a desk, or on a phone? Ask only if the answer would affect presentation.
- Frequency: Would readers prefer the current cadence, or a different one?
When stated preferences and behavior appear to conflict, do not silently choose one as the truth. Note the difference and consider a small test or a follow-up conversation before changing the whole newsletter.
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Keep the survey neutral and manageable
Use plain language, ask one thing at a time, and make answer options distinct rather than overlapping. Avoid leading wording that implies a preferred answer. Do not ask for details already available in reliable first-party data unless there is a specific reason to verify them, and do not collect information the team will not use.
Mix response formats when useful: selectable answers can make patterns easier to compare, while a small number of open responses can surface unexpected needs. Interviews or focus groups can add context to survey findings, though they require more time and resources. The Institute for Nonprofit News notes that clickstream data captures discrete actions but offers less insight into motivations; qualitative methods can help explain those actions.
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For nonprofit news organizations, INN suggests an annual survey of about 10–15 minutes, often around 40 questions, with seven or fewer response options and no more than three open-ended questions. Treat that as guidance for its context, not a required length for every newsletter. A shorter survey is preferable if it can answer the decision at hand.
When interpreting results, consider who responded and whether those respondents resemble the audience you want to understand. Penguin Random House’s author survey guidance recommends considering participation rate and screening responses against the intended audience.
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Create a persona only when the evidence supports a meaningful combination of needs or habits that would change editorial choices. A profile should summarize what readers say and do, not invent a name, biography, or motivation to make a segment feel vivid. Demographics can provide context, but they should not stand in for motivations and behavior.
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For each supported profile, record:
- Needs and goals readers actually expressed.
- Relevant habits or preferences, including any supporting engagement evidence.
- The response patterns or observations that support the profile.
- What remains uncertain or is based on limited evidence.
- The specific content, tone, format, or delivery choice the profile could inform.
If the evidence does not show distinct groups whose needs call for different editorial choices, keep one broad audience picture rather than manufacturing personas. If it does, separate profiles can help test whether different content or delivery choices are useful; segmentation should follow demonstrated differences, not assumptions.
Refresh the profile as evidence changes
A persona is a working hypothesis, not a permanent description of every subscriber. Revisit it when survey answers, engagement patterns, or reader conversations shift. Look for repeated evidence before treating a new response or unusual result as a trend, and update the profile when the audience’s needs or habits no longer match it.
Outside statistics can provide context, but they must retain their population and subject. In a report published February 19, 2026, Pew Research Center found that 30% of U.S. adults said they often or sometimes get news from email newsletters. Among U.S. adults who get news that way, 71% subscribed to fewer than five, and 62% said they did not read most of the newsletters they received. These figures come from Pew’s American Trends Panel survey of 5,153 U.S. adults, fielded August 18–24, 2025; they describe U.S. adults and news newsletters, not newsletter readers everywhere or every kind of newsletter. See Pew Research Center’s report.
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